Tigers go for gold
July 17, 2024
![Amaris Vazquez Collazo](https://president.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240702_NIT_Amaris-Vazquez-SEO-0337-1-200x300.jpg)
Our Tigers are ready to compete at the highest level, including at the upcoming Summer Paralympic Games in Paris.
Amaris Vazquez Collazo is a Mizzou sophomore studying social work and is representing Puerto Rico in the long jump and a metered dash event. Amaris transferred to Mizzou last spring and has worked since she was 8 to achieve her dream of competing for gold. Another Mizzou Paralympian, Lee Melymick, is a member of the Canada Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team – as well as the Mizzou Wheelchair Basketball Team. Lee also transferred to Mizzou and is a senior studying chemical engineering. He previously competed for Canada at the Paralympics in Tokyo.
![Lee Melymick](https://president.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lee-melymick-scaled-1-200x300.jpg)
Amaris and Lee will be joined by several Tiger alumni in both the Paralympic and Olympic games, including:
Paralympics
- Colin Higgins, Canada, wheelchair basketball
- Scott Meyer, United States, wheelchair basketball assistant coach
Olympics
- Karissa Schweizer, United States, track and field
- Mary Theisen-Lappen, United States, weightlifting
- Mikel Schreuders, Aruba, swimming
- Clement Secchi, France, swimming
I’m thrilled to cheer on all our incredible Tiger athletes.
— Mun